Manta judge calls habeas corpus hearing for Conquista 2 fishermen

A constitutional judge in Manta has scheduled a habeas corpus hearing for fishermen from the Conquista 2, a vessel intercepted offshore in a coordinated operation involving the United States and Ecuador.

The Permanent Committee for the Defence of Human Rights filed the petition on behalf of the fishermen. The committee described the interception as illegal. The hearing will take place at 10am on Saturday, September 5, 2026, at the Palace of Justice in Manta.

The judge ordered the Defence Ministry, the Navy's general command, the Armed Forces command, the Interior Ministry and the National Police command to attend and provide information about the people removed from the vessel. They must report on any reception, custody, transfer or restriction of the fishermen's freedom.

If any fisherman remains detained under the authority of Ecuadorian officials, that person must be brought to the hearing with the official responsible for custody and a public defender. The judge also requested information to reconstruct the vessel's route, including its departure, trajectory, location, monitoring, maritime surveillance and records.

The requested institutions include the Foreign Ministry, the Manta Port Captaincy, DIRNEA, the Coast Guard, INOCAR, the Undersecretariat for Fisheries Resources, the Ombudsman's Office and the Attorney General's Office. Before the hearing, authorities must identify who received the fishermen, when and where any transfer occurred, where they are now, their health and the legal basis for any restriction of their freedom. They must also preserve the complete chain of custody and related evidence.